[rescue] Compaq Proliant 8000

[Charles Shannon Hendrix]

Thu, 29 Apr 2004 @ 18:30 -0400, Dave McGuire said:

> >A "real" workstation with even this much outdated power would cost
> >quite a bit.
> 
>   *bzzt*
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3094280552

You think that machine is as fast as my Athlon PC with nVidia graphics
on desktop applications?

I think the graphics are the primary problem.  My low end, outdated
nVidia GF2 is faster than most Creators you are likely to get in an eBay
sale.

Which Creator board is as fast as a typical PC 3D graphics card in 2D
and OpenGL?  How much do they cost?

> The idea that "PCs make cheaper desktop machines" is bullshit.

Let's look at a middle-ground, garden variety PC:

* 2GHz Athlon
* 512MB RAM
* current sweet-spot (cost versus speed) nVidia or Radeon graphics
* 64-bit PCI SCSI, dual channel
* pair of fast drives

This kind of machine is dirt cheap now, and I mean one that won't crash
on you.  Even Gnome will run fast on it.

It will still be a PC, which means it has a crappy design, and you will
hate it, but that doesn't mean you can't get a usable and reliable
desktop out of one.

I haven't found a used workstation with that much speed south of $1000
anywhere.  The primary problem seems to be graphics.

> >Desktop power outside of the PC/Apple world is *very* expensive.
> >
> >One thing that might help introduce people to alternative desktops
> >would be for people like this group to maintain a website listing
> >good workstation desktop setups.  Rate them in terms of their desktop
> >computing power, and try to keep tabs on the prices, what hardware to
> >avoid, etc.
> 
>   You mean people don't just "know" that stuff?

Um.... no.

Evidently you don't either since you think a 300MHz Sun with low end
graphics is as fast as a desktop PC.



-- 
shannon "AT" widomaker.com -- ["Work for something because it is good, not
just because it stands a chance to succeed." -- Vaclav Havel]